Improvement in valves for direct-acting engines



2Sheets-$heet2- A. 1. L. LURETZ. Val ves for Dirl No.l5l,67.A

ect-Ac'ting Engies.

Patented )une 2.1874.

ARTHUR J. L. LORETZ, OF NEV BRUNSYIOK, NEWT JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO NORMAN HUBBARD, OF BROOKLYN, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN VALVVES FOR DIRECT-ACTING ENGINES.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 151,667, dated June 2, 1874; application filed December 29, 1873.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. L. LORETZ, of New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented a Valve for Direct-Actin g Engines, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to valves used for the purpose ot' reciprocating' the piston on a class of' engines known as the direct-acting kind, being generally connected with pumps for lifting and forcing water, air, gases, or used on hydraulic engines where water is used in stead ot' steam; and consists in the combination of devices more fully hereinafter described. The aim of my invention has been to simplify as much as possible the mechanism for admitting the steam alternately into the steam-cylinder or water into the water-cylinder without deriving' the power for so doing from a momentum of the main piston. In most all of this class ot engines the valve mechanism is nothing' more than a separate engine, the office of which is to work a valve which admits the steam into the main cylinder. In my invention I do not propose to evade that theory, as it would be impossible to accomplish what I propose to do without adhering to the above, as any other contrivance without using au i11- dependent motor would not act or lend its power for the purpose of moving the valve at the time the operation in the main cylinder ceases to take place without there exists a momentum, and such not existing, or, rather, being very slight, when a small quantity of water is used as the existing pressure, but by certain simple contri vances I embody the same theory, thus: the main valve being the piston of the auxiliary motor, and the main valverod or piston-rod of the auxiliary acting as valve for admission and emission of the steam in the auxiliary motor, a tappet ou the pistonrod acting upon this valve, it being also so arranged that in case the engine is ruiming fast and there existed a momentum which would be quicker in action than the auxiliary motor, then the former will control the main valve.

Figure l is a side elevation representing' the valve and steam-cylinder in section, showing the piston of the main cylinder at the end of its forward stroke, with the valve in its proper position for the admission and emission ot' steam for the piston to perform the return stroke. Fig, 2 represents the same parts in position for the forward stroke, the main valve and part ofthe heads of the valve-chamber showing their exterior rotundity. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through a b of the side elevation of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is another cross section through c d of the same side elevation. Fig. 5 represents an inverted plan of the valvechamber A, showing the corresponding ports of the cylinder and face where bolted to the cylinder.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts.

The construction and operation of the engine are as follows: The steam enters the valvechest A through the nozzle L, to which the steam-pipe is attached, and enters the charliber M, Figs. 2 and 4, then passes through the openings N1 around the groove D1 of the valve O into the port O1, driving the piston I ot' cylinde-nB toward the head J; thegroove D2 of valve C also forming a communication between ports O2 and O3, allowing the exhauststeam to pass oft' through exhaust-port O3. There are also small ports P1 P4, Figs. l and 2, in the valve-chamber A, communicating with the ports P3 P5 in the heads El E2, in which there is always steam. There are also ports R2-R5 in the same heads El E2, communieating with R3 t in valve-chest A, which communicate with exhaust-port O2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5. S is a slot cut in the valve O, Figs. l and 2, and T is a key fast in the valve-stem B,

Athe valve-stem working loose in the valve C the length of the slot S. Now, before the piston I of the main cylinder B arrives at the end of the stroke toward the head J, the tappet-rod G, attached to the end of the pistourod H, will strike the collar F2 on the valvestem D with its upper part, pulling the rod D with it without moving the valve (l, the steam still entering the port O1, Fig. 2. The pistou keeps on its forward course until the key T in the valve-rod D has arrived toward the foi-- ward part of the slot S, having taken up the lost motion caused by the length of the slot S, when then the valve O will begin to move forward with the stem D, beginning to close the steam off at N1 and port O2. At the same time the grooves P2 and R4, Fi g. l, in the valverod D, opening communications between their respective cylinder ends and ports in the heads El and E2, the former admitting steam in between the space formed by valve C and head E1, and the latter opening a communication with the exhaust between the space formed by piston C and head E2. The steam entering the port P1 from the chamber M, thence to port P3 in the head E1 to groove P2 in valve-rod D into the back end of the piston-valve C, throws it in its lforward position, the exhaust passing through groove R1 in rod D, through port R5 in head E2, from thence to port EG in valvechamber A, leading to the main exhaust-port O3, Figs. 1 and 5. The valve C, Fig. l, being thrown forward toward head E2 by the steam entering and'escaping through the aforemeir.

tioned ports, allo ws the steam to enter through port N2, pass around groove D2, enters port 02, driving the piston I back toward head K, the valve C at the same time closing up the steam-port N1 on the other side, and placing the grooves D1 over port O1 and O2, allowing the exhaust-steam to pass oft' from cylinder I3. Before the piston has arrived at'the end of its stroke the tappct-rod G will again have struck the collar F1 with its upper partmoving the rod D, thereby again changing the position of the grooves in the stem D, admitting and emitting the steam for the purpose of throwing the valve back toward head E1, Fig. 2, when a like action will take place on piston I in. cylinder B, and the reeiprocation of the strokes so repeated. Now, should the movement of the piston be so fast as not to allow the action of the steam to take place on the valve C, the key T in slot S will carry the valve C over, giving a full port of steam before the piston willrstrike on either of the heads J or K.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The valve-rod provided with auxiliary ports P2 R1 P6 R4, in combination with the heads E1 E2, having ports P3 R2 P5 R5, and valve-chest A, with ports P1 R3 P4 R6 and valve C, substantially as described.

2. The valve-rodD,with steam and exhaust grooves and key T, heads and chest provided with auxiliary ports, in combination with the piston-valve provided with slot S, substantiall y as and for the purpose specied.

ARTHUR J. L. LORETZ. 

